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Thursday, August 25, 2011

Read Alouds: Earthquakes, Crickets, and Trains

On Tuesday here in southeastern Pennsylvania we felt the earthquake originating in Virginia quite well.  (I have to say that on the second floor of my home I noticed the results of the earthquake shaking lamps and Matchbox cars more than I felt the quaking.)

I Can Read About Earthquakes and VolcanoesWell, it just so happens that about three weeks ago the children and I were at the local thrift store for books.  Both of the children loved the volcano book we found, so of course, we bought it...for twenty-five cents!  What timing!

 I Can Read about Earthquakes and Volcanoes (new for just $2) is a rather lengthy picture book, full of information about volcanoes and earthquakes.  My guess is that the content is most appropriate for ages 5-9+/-.  An older child may want more details, but there is still much included in this book, and some of it may need to be explained to a 5 or 6 year old child.  The illustrations are good, but I wish a couple of photographs would have been included.

The Cricket in Times Square (Chester Cricket and His Friends)I am so happy to also share that my daughter and I FINALLY completed Cricket in Times Square!  It took over a month, though we were gone for a full two weeks, plus our long weekend in New York City.  (We only read it at bedtime, and my husband doesn't take a turn with the chapter books.)

A country cricket named Chester accidentally finds his way to Times Square in a picnic basket.  A boy named Mario finds him and makes him a pet, but keeps him at the family's newspaper stand in the Times Square subway.  Chester and Mario are quick friends and Chester also befriends a cat and rat!  Chester's musical abilities become famous, and his fame comes at a price...

When we completed this book, my almost 5 year old daughter asked to read it again!  However, we are aiming for a slightly shorter chapter book next!  M chose My Father's Dragon (linked to the trilogy, though some think the first is the best).  We will read Chester Cricket's Pigeon Ride, since that is also part of our collection, at a later time.  (Interestingly, Chester Cricket's Pigeon Ride is about half the length of Cricket in Times Square and, according to Amazon, geared for younger readers, though the second in the series...I think.)

Thomas & Friends: Railway Rhymes (Thomas & Friends) (Lap Library)One last very popular book around here is new to us.  It's called Railroad Rhymes and features Thomas and all of his friends from Sodor!  Our version is a board book, and the kids love looking through the book and finding which poem they want to read!  I didn't know that there were so many Thomas and Friends characters!  A definite recommendation from our kids for any Thomas fan.

Check out what others are reading to their kids over at Hope is the Word for Read Aloud Thursday!

2 comments:

Christy Killoran said...

C and I read The Cricket in Times Square a few months ago - he loved it.

Amy @ Hope Is the Word said...

My oldest dd just finished Cricket in Times Square as an independent read. Of course, the girls had listened to it in audio format several times already. They love it! I didn't realize there's a sequel. I'll definitely ahve to hunt it up!

That earthquake and volcano book looks intersting, although I do have to be careful about such topic with my easily-frightened girlies. :-)

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